Separable fastener



Nov. 24, 1936. H, E IPE 2,061,680

SEPARABLE FAS TENER Filed Feb. 3, 1952 JNVENTOR;

' Arro '15 ample, the fastener made of rubber or similar spacing of the teeth 1 and simplifies attachment 25 drawing:

, 40 I have illustrated my invention as associated of this general type by sewing a pleat or strip of 40 45 type, such as the fastener illustrated in the patbeen customary to sew the covering strip to the 45 so of suitable interlocking elements carried on its complish one of the principal objects of my in- 50 Patented Nov. 24, 1936 I h I 2,061,680

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE Harry E. Sipe, New York, N. Y., assignmto Hook'- less Fastener Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February a, isaaseriai No. 590,656 12 Claims. (of. 244205) My invention relates to separable fasteners of chored to the tape. The interlocking teeth I are the edgewise multiple interlocking type andthe spaced at uniform intervals along each tape, principal object of the present invention is to leaving recesses 8 between them, as shown best provide an improved flexible covering which shall in Figs. 1 and 3 to receive the corresponding 5 be durable and strong and'at the same time, not teeth of the mating row, their base portions de- 5 be objectionably bulky and, which will be capable fining a marginal zone or area along the edge of of easy attachment to the fastener. Preferably, the tape, within which zone the elements are sethese coverings are made of material having relcured to the tape, The interlocking elements atively high tensile strength, such as a woven may be formed of any suitable rnaterial, herein silk fabric, so that the fastener is reinforced chosen for illustration asrubber. When the ele- 10 against transverse flexing strains. This reinments are made of rubber, the anchoring or base forcing function is particularly advantageous in portions are preferably integrally joined thus some types of fasteners which might be disenforming an anchoring or supporting strip 9.for gaged when bending on a sharp radius, for exthe whole row of elements. This facilitates material illustrated in my P n ,7 56. to the mounting strip 6; The interlocking eledated July 9, 1929. ment strips 9 can be attached to the mounting other objects and advantages of the inven strips by cementing, stitching or' in any other tion will appear to those skilled in the art upon suitable manner. Herein they are shown as se- 20 reading t following Specification. cured to the tapes byi stitching M or It- It is In the accompanying drawing I have shown observed that the interlocking elements on both f r purposes of illustration, th preferred fo m tapes have their upper side surfaces all disposed and a few alternative embodiments thereof which in a common plane which is spaced from the my invention may assume in practice. In this plane of the strips 6 by the'thickness of the elei I ments. A slider it is mounted to ride on the V Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a portion of a interlocking elements and serves to engage and fastener having my improvement incorporated disengage the elements during its travel from one therewith; end to the other of the fastener; The function- Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the ing of the slider i0 is fully described in either fastener of Fig. 1 on line 2--2:' of the above mentioned patents and it need be '30 Fig. 3 is aperspective view showing one side of merely stated here that the slider is formed with of the fastener of Fig. 1; I suitable channels of the appropriate shape and Fig. 4 is a transverse section showing an imsize for embracing the interlocking elements and proved construction; covering strips and for guiding the elements into Fig. 5 is a similar section showing still another and out of engagement,,and that the interlocking 35 modification, and Figure 6 is an enlarged perand disengagement is accomplished by movespective view of a portion of still another modiment of the elements within their common plane. iflcati'on, in Figure 3, showing a single interlock- Heretofore attempts have been made to cover ing element. or conceal the interlocking elements of fasteners with a fastener. similar to that disclosed in my textile material either to the fastener or to the above mentioned patent but it will be understood garment or article to be closed in such a manner that the present invention is applicable to all that the strip was supposed to lie over or on to fasteners of the multiple edgewise interlocking of the interlocking elements. In so doing it has ent to Sundback 1,219,881, March 20, 1917. fabric by a line of stitching at some distance This type of fastener usually comprises a pair from the row of interlocking elements.

of fiexible supporting members or mounting Being concerned with providing a-more satisstrips such as fabric tapes 6, each having a row factory covering for fasteners of this type, I acedge. As best shown in Figure 6, the interlockv vention by securing the'covering strip directly to ing elements may each include an interlocking or against the interlocking elements, for example portion or tooth I which projects beyond the by stitching the. cover to the fabric strip within I edge Ia of the tape, and an anchoring portion or the area occupied on such fabric strip by the 65 base lb by which the element is secured or an.- interlocking elements themselves.

The covering strips in Figs. 1,.2, and'3 are designated II and are attached to the fastener strips and mounting tapes 6 by one or more rows of stitching 12. These strips as above stated, are preferably of silk fabric but, of course, may be of leather, rubberized fabric or any other material having the desired properties.

The covering strips are attached against the side surfaces of the fastener elements and extend over them to such a point that when the fastener is' closed, they will meet and substantially conceal the fastener elements. The covering strips may also extend out over the mounting tapes 8 if desired, as shown in Fig. 6.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the cover strips 6 are doubled over and folded back around the fastener element strips to provide the covering extensions i3, each in the form of a zone or area of the cover strip which lies in a plane and is secured to the interlocking elements by stitching H. The cover strip also includes the portion Ila secured against the tape 8 by the same stitching H which holds the entire assembly together. In Fig. 5 there are two sets of fastener strips I5 and It on opposite sides of the mounting strips l1 and the covering strips l8, IS, on opposite sides of the fastener are of a form similar to that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The slider 20 is made of appropriate shape to fit this design of fastener. In Fig. 6 the cover strip includes a portion 2| extending over the tape 6 in addition to the portion or zone 22 secured to the interlocking elements. g

It will be observed that the cover strip is, in some modifications such as that in Fig. 4, secured directly to the tape 6, and that the cover strip in all modifications illustrated includes a portion or zone which is spaced away from the tape by the thickness of the portion of the fastener elements which project above the tape. This spaced portion or zone is caused to lie flat in a plane against the side surfaces of the interlocking elements by being secured flrmly against the elements, in the examples shown, by the stitching. This results in a covering which completely conceals the fastener elements when the fastener is closed, and which inherently lies flat and does not wrinkle or bulge. In fact the cover strips are so flatly and securely attached to the fastener elements that-they serve not only as covering for the sake of appearance but. also as'structural elements which fulfill the function of holding the fastener elements always in engagement even when the fastener is bent on a sharp radius.

As a result of my invention, it will be observed that the interlocking elements of fasteners of the above type mav be concealed from viewin articles where the appearance of the fastener elements would be objectionable. The color and material of the covering strips can be varied to suit the many articles in which the fastener may be used. The invention has the advantage over known devices intended for concealing the fastener in that it provides a much neater, more. compact and more durable covering device.

While I have in this application specifically described one embodiment and several modifications which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these embodiments and modifications are merely for the purposes of illustration and description and that various other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as deflned in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A fastener comprising in combination apair of flexible mounting members in the same plane, a row of interlocking elements secured to each member, each element including an anchoring portion and an interlocking portionfa slider for progressively engaging and disengaging the-elements by movement of the elements in the same plane, and flexible covering strips in contact with and positively attached to the interlocking elements by stitches engaging said mounting members and interlocking elements, the ..covering strips extending closely adjacent and concealing the interlocking portions of the elements when the fastener is closed.

2. A fastener comprising in combination a pair of flexible mounting members in the same plane, a row of interlocking elements securedto each member, each element including an anchoring portion and an interlocking portion, a channeled slider for progressively engaging and disengaging the elements by movement of the elements in the same plane, and woven fabric covering strips in contact with the interlocking members, said strips being attached to the interlocking elements andto said mounting members, said slider embracing said cover strips so that the inner surface of the slider channel bears against said cover strips.

3. A fastener comprising in combination a pair of flexible mounting members in the same plane, a row of interlocking elements secured to each member, each element including an anchoring portion and an interlocking portion, a slider for progressively engaging and disengaging the elements by movement of the elements in the same 'plane, and thin flexible covering strips stitched to saidmounting members, said strips overlapping and lying directly against the interlocking elements and being of sufilcient width to conceal the interlocking portions of the elements when the fastener is closed, said slider embracing said covering strips.

4. A slide fastener comprising in combination, a pair of flexible supporting members, a row of interlocking elements secured to each member, said interlocking elements including anchoring portions and interlocking portions, the anchoring portions in each row being secured to a supporting member and defining a zone extending lengthwise thereof, both rows of elements being disposed in a common plane. a slider for progressively interlocking or separating the elements by movement of the elements in their common plane, and a flexible cover strip for each row of elements, said cover strip being positively secured against the side surfaces of the elements by stitches extending through the supporting member within said zone, and said cover strip extending over said interlocking portions.

5. A slide fastener comprising in combination, a pair of flexible supporting members, a row of interlocking elements secured to each member,

said interlocking elements including anchoring of the elements, said cover strip being secured to the, elements by stitching to the supporting member within said zone and extending over said interlocking portions.

6. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of flexible supporting members each provided with a row of interlocking elements, said elements including anchoring portions secured to the member and defining a zone extending lengthwise thereof, each'element also including an interlocking portion extending beyond the edge of the member, all of said elements being disposed ina common plane, a slide for progressively interlocking or separating the elements by movement of the elements in their common plane, and a. flexible cover strip for each row of elements, each strip being secured against the side surfaces of the elements by stitching to the supporting member within the zone defined by the anchoring portions of the elements, said strips extending over the interlocking portions of the elements. 1 '7. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of flexible supporting members, a row of interlocking elements secured to each member,

each element having a side surface spaced from the supporting member and the side surfaces of all of the elements being disposed in a common plane, a slider for progressively interlocking or separating the elements by movement of the elements in their common plane, a flexible covering strip for each row of elements, said interlocking elements including spacing means between the supporting member and cover strip, said cover strip being stitched to the spacing means, the thickness of said spacing means being substantially equal to the distance between the supporting member and the side surfaces of the interlocking elements whereby the cover strip is held flat and against the side surfaces of the interlocking elements by the stitching.

8. A slide fastener comprising in combination a-pair of flexible supporting members, a row of interlocking elements secured to each member, each element having a side surface spaced from the supporting member and the side surfaces of all of the elements being disposed in a common plane, a slider for progressively interlocking or separating the elements by movement of the elements in their common plane, a flexible covering strip for each row of elements, said interlocking elements including spacing means integral with the elements and located between the supporting member and cover strip, said cover strip being stitched to the spacing means, the thickness of said spacingmeans being substantially equal to the distance between the supporting member and the side surfaces of the interlocking elements whereby the cover strip is held flat and against the side surfaces of the interlocking elements by the stitching. I

9. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of flexible supporting members, a row of interlocking elements secured to each member, each element including an anchoring portion and an interlocking portion, both rows of elements being disposed in a common plane, a flexible cover strip for each row of el ments, said cover strip being positively secured against the side surfaces of the elements by stitching extending through the supporting member, and said cover strip extending over said interlocking portions, and a slider for progressively interlocking or separating the elements by movement of the elements in their common plane, the slider being disposed about the elements outside of the cover the flexible supportingmember and a portion spaced from the flexible supporting member and positively secured against the side surfaces of the elements by stitching passing through the flexible supporting member and said row of elements.

11. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of flexible supporting members, a row of interlocking elements secured to each member,

said elements including anchoring portions secured to the member and definingza marginal zone thereon and interlocking portions extending beyond the edge of the member, the side surfaces of all of said elements being disposed in a common plane spaced from the plane of the supporting members, a sliderfor progressively interlocking or separating the elements by movement of the elements in their common plane, and a flexible cover strip for each row of elements, each strip having a portion secured against the corresponding supporting member and 'a portion spaced from the supporting member and secured against the side surfaces of the elements by stitching to the supporting member within the marginal zone defined by the anchoring portions of the elements.

12. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of flat supporting tapes arranged in the same plane, cooperating rows of fastener elements disposed wholly on one side of said tapes and attached to the side surfaces thereof by stitching passing through the supporting tapes and said rows of fastener elements,said tapes coming substantially into meeting relation so as to hide the fastener elements from view on one side.

HARRY E. SIPE. 

